Essexandlondonconstruction Opiniones 

Update to my review: what happened after the project ended

I’m updating my earlier review because what has happened since the project ended has reinforced my original concerns.

We made a formal written complaint to ELC following the works they undertook and failed to complete at our property. Since then, ELC have refused to engage with us to resolve the serious issues set out in our complaint letter and in further correspondence we have had with them since our complaint letter. We have also provided expert evidence to them as well but they have ignored it.

Rather than seeing the substantive issues resolved, we have instead received correspondence from three different sets of solicitors threatening unfounded legal action including three cease-and-desist letters demanding that we remove my original review here.

I stand by that review. It is an accurate and true account of our experience with ELC. I have documents and other evidence to support what I have written.

Since publishing my review, I have also been contacted by additional former ELC clients who have described experiences involving delays, overstretched projects and workmanship concerns. I cannot speak for their individual circumstances, but their accounts have been concerningly familiar to us.

I have also raised my concerns with the relevant regulators and authorities.

If you are considering using ELC, I would strongly recommend doing your own independent due diligence. Speak directly to former clients rather than relying solely on references arranged by ELC. Check the evidence behind claims made on websites and social media, rather than relying on photographs and testimonials alone.

And before signing a significant building contract, consider obtaining independent professional advice on the contract and your protections as a homeowner.

This is our experience. We have retained the documentation supporting what we have said, and we believe homeowners should have the opportunity to make informed decisions based on the available evidence.

The team did my basement extension in Leyton. Would 100% recommend. The end result was super impressive and I have tons of comments on it. I had a bespoke staircase built and fitted, fitted wardrobes, a window created, fittings like skirting, they covered electrics and additional plastering and decorating in other areas of the house. I have since used the team for elements of my bathroom renovation and other smaller works like a new front path/entrance area and garden upgrades. They are helpful, affordable and high quality. I have a planned kitchen extension that I am working with them on as well.

Am a building control surveyor, all projects with Essex and London Construction have been positive and I look forward to inspecting their sites as they are great to work with.

This company looks the part - experienced, professional, successful. In my experience? Total smoke and mirrors.

I had a really bad time with them and figured out too late how they reel people in. Bottom line is they’re cowboy builders, just slicker and more calculated than most. Not good people, and the work was awful.

If you look them up on Companies House it’s pretty revealing - they’re in the red, have only one employee, and their registered address in Putney is literally just a mailbox at Mail Boxes Etc. No actual connection to the business or where anyone involved actually lives or works. A rented mailbox in a fancy part of London raises some pretty obvious questions.

They say they do basement conversions but they don’t actually seem to do them - they just seem to subcontract to specialists like Basement Structures.

They’ll happily sign a proper building contract (JCT, RIBA) which makes them seem legit - but once they’re in your house, they just ignore it. And there’s not much you can do. I complained loads of times and got either silence or attitude back. Being talked down to in your own home about your own home isn’t okay, and no builder should behave like that.

They recently posted on Instagram about having availability to take on more work. A builder with genuinely happy customers doesn’t need to do that - the jobs just come in through word of mouth and positive online reviews.

Their Instagram looks busy and popular. The numbers say otherwise. Hypeauditor shows an engagement rate of just 0.67% and an account quality score of 12. Modash puts engagement at 0.61% and estimates around 10% of their followers are fake, with another 10% suspicious or likely bots. For an account their size that posts as often as they do, that’s really low engagement. A lot of the likes and comments also look like they’re coming from friends and family rather than actual customers or others in the industry.

Honestly I think the whole social media thing exists just to pass a quick Google check. It’s designed to make them look active and credible to someone who’s considering hiring them.

Don’t get caught out like I did. In my experience these aren’t professional builders - they’re professional conmen.

I’ve reported Essex and London Construction to Trading Standards, and I know others have too.

I also recently found out that Tara Taylor - one of the directors of the company - is a health and safety professional and works for Bristol City Council. She’s Head of Building Safety and Health and Safety Manager. It’s deeply disturbing to me that someone who treats her construction company’s client’s homes so poorly and unsafely is paid out of the public purse to be responsible for the property portfolio of Bristol City Council.

ELC also recently boasted about being in The RIBA Journal. They weren’t in The RIBA Journal, look it up. They’re referring to an interview with an architect they worked on a project with. No praise or credit is given to ELC as a company or to Marc Porter personally - the entire piece is about the architect’s design decisions. The one build-related comment is actually a pointed one aimed at Marc Porter and ELC - the architect describes needing “diligent oversight… especially when guiding builders prone to improvisation.” That says so much about them and how they operate. Pay attention to information like this before deciding whether to trust them with your home.

I’m in touch with others who’ve had a bad experience with this company - it’s like a strange support group you never expected or want to be a part of. Search ‘Essex and London Construction’, ‘Marc Porter’ and ‘Tara Taylor’ on Facebook - you’ll get the real sense of who they and this company are. Their own marketing and website claims shouldn’t be believed.